BIOGRAPHICAL DIRECTORY TENNESSEE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1796-1969 (Preliminary No. 12) HENDERSON COUNTY http://www.tngenweb.org/records/henderson/bios/tgabios.htm Austin, Lon Saunders (1885-1950) HOUSE, 69th, 70th, 71st, 73rd, 74th, and 75th General Assemblies, 1935-41, 1943-49; representing Henderson and Madison counties; Democrat. Born at Scotts Hill, Henderson County, Sept. 15, 1885; son of Jones Alvin and Winnie (Scott) Austin. Attended schools at Scotts Hill and at Sardis, Henderson County; later attended a cotton school at Memphis, Shelby County. Married at Scotts Hill, June 8, 1908, to Carrie Goff, native of Saltillo, Hardin County, daughter of Albert Lewis and Elizabeth (Faning) Goff; three daughters--Lorraine, Dorothy, and Cathleen. Taught school in early years in Perry County and in Mississippi; became a cotton merchant at Lexington, Henderson County. Sometime member county court; served a short while as safety director for West Tennessee, with headquarters at Memphis. Member Methodist Episcopal Church; Free and Accepted Masons. Died at Lexington Oct. 14, 1950; buried in Lexington Cemetery. Sources: Information supplied by wife, Mrs. Lon S. Austin and by daughter, Mrs. John W. Hinson, both of Lexington; Lexington Progress, July 6, 1928; Aug. 9, 1935; Dec. 20, 1935; Jan. 6, 1939; May 30, 1941; Mar. 9, 1945; Oct. 6, 1950; Tenn. Vital Statistics, Death Certificate 22402. Brown, Henry Hill (1793-1847) SENATE, 15th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd General Assemblies, 1823-25, 1835-41; representing counties of Henderson, Carroll, Henry, Hurnphreys, Perry, and Stewart in 15th; counties of Henderson, Hardin, McNairy, and Perry, 1835-41; was a Whig by 1837. Born in the portion of Bute County, N.C., which later was included in Franklin County, Jan. 23, 1793; son of-Jeremiah and Martha (Hill) Brown. Extent of schooling not stated. Married in December, 1814, to Mary Ellington Marshall, native of Virginia; children--Martha Ann, Hannah Malvina, James Frazer, Nancy Thomas, and one whose name does not appear. Senator Brown's occupation and place of residence in Henderson County have not been determined; there are indications that he lived in or had property in Perry County. In War of 1812; enlisted at Lebanon, Wilson County, Sept. 24, 1831; mustered in at Fayetteville, Lincoln County; discharged at Fort Strother, Ala., Dec. 27, 1813; was sgt. in Capt. Henry L. Douglas' Co., 1st Tenn. Vol. Inf. Died at Nashville, Davidson County, Oct. 12, 1847; place of burial not found. Sources: Information supplied by Mrs. Robert Selph Henry, Alexandria, Va.; and by Mrs. Catherine Ewing, genealogist of Nashville; Nashville Whig, Oct. 16, 1847; Acklen, Tennessee Records, I, 200-201; War of 1812 files, Tenn. Archives. Jones, George Washington (c.1829-?) HOUSE, 46th General Assembly, 1889-91; representing Henderson and Madison counties; Democrat. Born in Tennessee c.1829; exact date and place of birth, names of parents, and extent of schooling not determined. First married to Elmira; her family name, date and place of marriage not indicated; seven children by this marriage--the eldest, Adeline, was born c.1853; others in order of birth--Paralee, James R., Adah, Emily F., William L., and Donna, who was born c.1874; Elmira died at undetermined date after 1874; second marriage in Decatur County Jan. 22, 1880, to Enna L. Alston; no children by this marriage mentioned. Subject operated a saloon in Decatur County in earlier years; removed sometime before 1889 to Wildersville, Henderson County, where he in 1901 purchased the Parker Hotel and changed name to Jones Hotel; when this building burned, he built a new one in its place. No further information on Representative Jones. Sources: Decatur County Marriage Records, 1879-81, p. 97; Lexington Progress, Sept. 20, 1901; June 12, 1903; Nov. 19, 1943; U.S. Census, 1870, 1880, Decatur County. Kelley, Lois Willie (1906-1964) HOUSE, 76th and 77th General Assemblies, 1949-53; representing Henderson and Madison counties; Democrat. Born Aug. 25, 1906, at Scotts Hill which lies in Henderson and Decatur counties; son of Robert and Minnie (Maness) Kelley. Extent of schooling not stated. Married, date and place not indicated, to Ewell White; children--Dewayne, Dewight, and Larry. Occupation, farmer and contractor, with home in Reagan community in 7th civil district of Henderson County. Member of county road commission and superintendent of roads. Member Methodist Episcopal Church; Free and Accepted Masons. Died at Lexington, Henderson County, May 16, 1964; buried in cemetery of Methodist Church, Scotts Hill. Sources: Lexington Progress, Mar. 18, 1938; June 19, 1942; May 21, 1964; Memphis Commercial Appeal, May 17, 1964; information supplied by William L. Barry, Lexington and Nashville; Tenn. Vital Statistics, Death Certificate 12631. Pratt, John Spurgeon (1882-1958) HOUSE, 65th and 70th General Assemblies, 1927-29, 1937-39; representing Henderson and Madison counties in 65th, Decatur and Benton counties in 70th; Democrat. Born July 1, 1882, at Scotts Hill which lies partly in Henderson and partly in Decatur County; subject lived at Scotts Hill in 1927 while representing Henderson and Madison counties and was still living at Scotts Hill in 1937, while representing Decatur and Benton counties; no record of change in county lines was found so that it seems likely that Representative Pratt had moved to another house in Scott's Hill between dates indicated. Subject, a son of William Martin and Nancy (Cronie) Pratt, attended "common schools" of Decatur County. Married to Roxie Kelley; date and place of marriage, names of children, if any, not found. He was described as farmer; in lumber business; cotton dealer; and operated a cotton gin at Scott's Hill for twenty-seven years. Elected, 1912, district road commissioner; member of county court; sometime member board of education; sometime assistant sergeant-at-arms of State Senate. Member Methodist Episcopal Church; Free and Accepted Masons; Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Modern Woodmen of America; Woodmen of the World. Died at Scotts Hill Dec. 30, 1958; buried in Red Walnut Cemetery. Sources: Decatur County Herald, May 14, 1909; Jan. 26, 1912; Jan. 2, 1959; Apr. 10, 1936; Parsons News-Leader, Jan. 2, 1959; Tenn. Public Acts, 1927; 1937; Tenn. Vital Statistics, Death Certificate 33016. Roberts, Pinkney Osborn (1845-1940) HOUSE, 58th General Assembly, 1913-15; representing Henderson and Madison counties; Republican. Born in Wayne County Nov. 22, 1845; son of James Roberts. Extent of schooling not stated. Married Jan. 25, 1869, to Laura Yarbrough, native of Decatur County, daughter of Samuel and Sallie (Ashcroft) Yarbrough; children--Albert C., Maude, Clara, Lillian, Mabel, and Herbert. Subject lived at Decaturville and Parsons, both in Decatur County, and at Water Valley, Miss., before moving to Lexington, Henderson County, to establish a dry goods store, which continued to 1901; became sales agent for Parsons Marble Yards at Lexington. While living in Decatur County, was county court clerk, 1870, and circuit court clerk; after moving to Henderson County, was circuit court clerk, 1903-06; member county court, 1907-18; serving as chairman of that court and as county judge; U.S. Commissioner, 1924; in latter years served as deputy clerk at different times. In Union army but details of military service not found in available records; member Grand Army of the Republic. Member Methodist Episcopal Church; Free and Accepted Masons. Died at Lexington Jan. 16, 1940; buried in Lexington Cemetery. Sources: Lexington Progress, Oct. 11, 1901; June 26, July 3, Dec. 18 (supplement), 1903; Sept. 30, 1904; Nov. 9, 1906; May 14, 1909; Jan. 16, 1916; Aug. 23, 1918; Mar. 5, 1920; Sept. 15, 29, 1922; June 29, July 27, 1923; Oct. 24, 1924; Sept. 10, 1926; Jan. 19, 1940; Nashville Tennessean, Dec. 31, 1926; Bolen, Henderson County History, 7; Powers, History of Henderson County, 34; Henderson County Bible Records and Tombstone Inscriptions, 32; Tenn. Vital Statistics, Death Certificate 1083. Scott, David Eldridge (1850-1917) HOUSE, 54th and 55th General Assemblies, 1905-09; representing Henderson and Madison counties; Democrat. Born in Henry County Apr. 9, 1850; son of David Melville and Nancy (Hagler) Scott. Attended "common schools" of Decaturville, Decatur County; studied law, 1873-1874; at Cumberland University, Lebanon, Wilson County; admitted to bar, 1874. Married in Hardin County Nov. 8, 1876, to Martha Elizabeth Porterfield, native of Hardin County and daughter of William and Ursula (Graham) Porterfield; children--Frances Ursula, David Eugene, Blanche Elizabeth, and Melville E. Brought up in Decatur County, subject began practice of law, 1874, at Decaturville; removed to Texas, 1896, but after one year returned to Tennessee and settled at Lexington, Henderson County, where he practiced in Henderson and surrounding counties until death. Unsuccessful candidate for attorney general, 1902; member of county Democratic Executive Committee. Member Methodist Episcopal Church, South; Free and Accepted Masons; Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Knights of Honor; Lexington Bar Ass'n. Died at Lexington Oct. :24;. 1917; buried in Lexington Cemetery. Sources: Information supplied by son, Melville E. Scott, Lexington, and by William L. Barry, Lexington and Nashville; Lexington Progress, Jan. 31, 1902; Apr. 27, 1906; June 19, 1914; Nov. 2, 1917; Sept. 10, 1920; Paul and Douglas, Who's Who in Tennessee, 253; Henderson County Bible Records and Tombstone Inscriptions, 20-21; Tenn. Vital Statistics, Death Certificate 26460.